A chain retailing group was convicted and fined $40,000 today (June 15) at Eastern Magistrates' Courts for applying a false trade description as well as supplying and being in possession of bagged dried squid to which a false trade description had been applied for the purpose of trade, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO). A total of 1 434 packs of bagged dried squid involved in the case were also confiscated.
Hong Kong Customs earlier received information alleging that a type of bagged dried squid with suspected false descriptions on the country of origin was being supplied at a chain retailing group. Customs officers then test-purchased the bagged dried squid concerned from the group's branches located in Siu Sai Wan, Tsim Sha Tsui and Tseung Kwan O. After investigation, it was revealed that the packaging bags bore two origin labels that were marked as "原產国名 中国" and "Country of origin: Japan".
Customs then took action and seized 1 434 packs of bagged dried squid with a total value of $110,535 from three branches and a warehouse of the chain retailing group concerned. After scrutinising the related records, Customs officers discovered that the country of origin of the bagged dried squid was China.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO. The department will continue to crack down the supply of goods with false trade descriptions to protect consumers' interests.
Under the TDO, any person who in the course of any trade or business applies a false trade description to any goods, or supplies or is in possession of any goods for sale with a false trade description commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Members of the public may report any suspected violation of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Wednesday, June 15, 2022